Promise to Try

This song is written from the perspective of Madonna's younger self. It deals with Madonna's mother (who died of breast cancer at age 36 when Madonna was just five years old), but also incorporates the voice of her father and herself talking to her.

Like most songs on the album, Madonna wrote this with Patrick Leonard, who also produced the track.

Madonna considers this a companion song to another track on the album, "Oh, Father," which she also wrote with Patrick Leonard.